Arthritis can be a hidden cause of chronic pain and discomfort. By detecting early signs using X-rays, chiropractors can adjust treatment plans to better control and alleviate arthritis symptoms, improving patient outcomes. During your first visit, the chiropractor should draw up a detailed medical history and perform a physical exam of each joint to determine which approaches are right for you. The doctor may also take an X-ray of the spine. Is Chiropractic Safe for Arthritis? If you have back or neck pain due to osteoarthritis, chiropractic is one of the safest therapies you can use, explains Dr.
Scott Haldeman, a neurologist from Santa Ana (California) and president emeritus of the Research Council of the World Federation of Chiropractic. But if you have an inflammatory condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis, you'll need to be more careful. X-rays (or diagnostic images) play a vital role in chiropractic. They allow chiropractors to see bones and joints clearly.
X-rays, or x-rays, can be a useful tool for chiropractors to diagnose spinal and joint problems. Let's see why, when and how chiropractors can use X-ray technology in practice. X-rays are dedicated to revealing anomalies in the skeletal system, while magnetic resonance imaging provides information about the state of soft tissues and their role in pain. If the chiropractor takes the X-ray while standing or in a weight-bearing position, the various normal and abnormal curves of the spine can be seen, as well as the severity of joint changes.
Some members of the profession advocate the need for routine spinal x-rays to improve patient treatment, while other chiropractors advocate the use of spinal x-rays only when supported by current diagnostic imaging guidelines. The X-rays your chiropractor takes or has taken will show your bones and joints, along with related soft tissues, such as muscle or fat. Chiropractors also use a special type of X-ray film and screens that dramatically reduce the dose of radiation you receive. Exposure to X-rays carries a slight risk, and this risk is always taken into account when the chiropractor decides whether to give you an X-ray or not.
The chiropractor can evaluate your overall bone health; determine whether or not you have any congenital anomalies (unusual bone shapes from birth), fractures, dislocations and arthritic conditions, bone or joint infections, and tumors that would significantly alter the treatment plan. Hayden agrees that joint inflammation should be “banned,” but notes that chiropractors offer several complementary therapies that can help. By using varying degrees of force to try to adjust misaligned joints, chiropractors attempt to improve the relationship between the spine and the nervous system, believing that it can affect the function of all organs and systems in the body. If your chiropractor owns X-ray equipment, that equipment must be inspected regularly and meet the standards of the national protection board radiological.
While it's true that chiropractors manipulate or adjust the spine to improve pain and mobility, the benefits can extend beyond the back and neck. If you have back or neck pain due to osteoarthritis, chiropractic is one of the safest therapies you can use, explains Dr. The authors are not aware of any evidence to show that routine imaging has reduced the risk of chiropractors filing malpractice lawsuits. Therefore, in the vast majority of cases that go to chiropractors, the potential benefit of spinal x-rays does not outweigh possible damage.
Even if they never touch the arthritic joint, David Feschuk, a chiropractor from Stone Mountain, Georgia, states that treating surrounding tissues can significantly reduce overall pain.
